Fire and Ice
by Mara93
Summary: An alternative take on when chloe returns to Salem and Philip first sees her: Phloe story, Shawn, Belle and others have small supporting parts Starts cannon and then AU Romantic drama interlaced with humor
1. Chapter 1

**Fire and Ice**

**Disclaimer:** I disclaim. **Days of our Lives** and its characters belong to **Ken Corday** and company. I am writing this simply for fun.

**Rating:** T for Teen, but might move onto more mature chapters. I'll warn ahead of time for any that need it. This first part has a bit of language.

This is my first Phloe story. I hope you enjoy. This is especially dedicated to the devout Phloe fans and fanfic writers. You have been great inspiration for this story.

I started as a Phloe fan, but kind of lost faith after the coma storyline for Philip. I didn't like Chloe there. I stuck around to watch until Jay left, but at times I didn't completely want Phloe anymore because I was just so unhappy with how Philip's character was being destroyed. It's a joy though to see Jay and Nadia back on the show. I hope the writers can do them justice this time while keeping the characters intact.

I have written fic before, AU fic for Philip and Mimi. I always loved their friendship and saw potential after the island storyline. I'm also currently working on fic for a primetime show, One Tree Hill.

**Genre:** I'd categorize this mostly as a romantic drama. It will be intense at times, angry, sad and happy.

**Timeline:** The story takes off in the near future, which I am making up. Then it will go back to when Philip was at the hotel and first saw Chloe...and eventually move back to that near future. That means the story is part cannon/part AU. Philip and Chloe are adults, as on the show now, written possibly darker, with Philip having a noticeable limp from his war injury, and a made up minor injury. He is seeking out Belle, as on the show, with a few differences, and he is heavily involved in his work at Titan. Chloe is divorced from Brady for reasons that I will most likely make up, and reveal. Philip is intrigued at Chloe being back and she's intrigued to see him too. _Is it more than that?_ Uh…the story will tell, lol.

The story is sort of told in a poetic way at times by a rose, a _fire and ice_ rose. You might remember, Philip gave Chloe one when they were teens. Doing research on this rose, it actually very well fits who Chloe and Philip are, and their relationship. By the way, hopefully this title has not been taken for a story...it just worked so well for what I'm writing.

**Dialogue:** Sometimes I will use dialogue from the show. When I do I will surround it with this: and edit the font to italic. Those words I credit to the Days writers.

Onto the story…

_A storm hits Salem one fateful night. Traps two. Enraptures them. This is the beginning and the middle. The return to a love story that ended all too soon, all too wrong. This night…begins a second chance. But also there are secrets revealed, furies, fears, tears, and…_

_Neither red nor white…_

_Not innocent or malevolent…_

_A hybrid_

_A mixture_

_Of purity and mystery_

_Cold and hot_

_Blood on ivory pale skin_

_Spiritual and feeling_

_Forbidden and passionate_

_I am Snow White and her Evil Step Mother…_

_I am two sides of it all blended into one…_

_I am…_

_Fire_

_And_

_ICE_

_White is for the friends and family._

_Yellow is for peace and happiness._

_Pink is for pretty flirtation._

_Red is for the lover._

_Black…Death._

_But I…_

_I am for the monster and the angel._

_I am the cries of passion naked souls utter._

_I am obsession and possession._

_I am straight down the middle._

_I am dark and bright._

_Those who give me, give away a piece of their soul. Those who give me, have the fears of a child. Those who give me, whisper with conviction and terror…_

_I desire you._

_I care for you._

_I am yours. Please…_

_Be mine._

_I am it all._

_I am ice and_

_FIRE._

_There are many who have given ones just like me. I have waited for my turn, and finally now…it comes._

_He hands me off._

_One who has given an ancestor of mine before…_

_My petals leak the quiet and the rage. They hold inside the passion._

_The needing. The wanting._

_The secrets._

_I am flames burning._

_I am the frost on the morning window._

_I am cold and without feeling. I burn with emotion I barely can handle. Those other color variations certainly couldn't._

_I am handed on a night of storms. The lightning comes within inches of my thorns. The rain wettens my beautiful hideous petals._

_And they leak like blood._

_They stream like snow._

_I am given. I am taken._

_And with it…returns all the feeling of the past. And the new silence of the present._

_But I know what lurks underneath what is not said, what is not expressed with words._

_I know…_

_For I am the hybrid. The two._

_I am…Fire and Ice._

_This is my story._

_This is their story._

_Starting one night of rain. Falling back to the beginning._

_Come inside my warm chilled petals. Hear what I have to say._

_Let the fire and ice of my existence take you…as I take you…_

_Forward and back. _

_And then beyond..._

It had arrived in all its fury and rage.

For days it had been warned about on the evening news, in the Spectator newspaper. Talked about on the city streets. All the stores increased their sales of umbrellas and rain coats. People stocked up on candles and lighters.

And now…_it was here_.

The shrill winds screamed as a door flew open. The door was the front entrance of a large house, a dark mansion. The major light it shone now was when the lightning illuminated its windows. Eerily, ghostly.

The woman paid it no mind as she ran fast. Even in heeled boots, she didn't slow down. Didn't think about the earth's wetness. The ground cover that was usually rough, now sloshy, wet, slippery. The rain immediately soaked her long wavy hair, the color of tea and coffee mixed into one. Dark and yet interlaced with bright highlights. The wetness stuck to her heart shaped face, masked with elegant, but thick makeup. Its ruin already coming as the pouring rain marred it. Mixing with her salted tears.

"Hey! Are you CRAZY?" The door opened further, revealing a man dressed in a dark sweater, narrowed black pants, black shoes. The man now raced out the door too, letting it fly backward with the motion, the strong winds betraying its austere stiffness.

His pace was quick, but halted. Strained and handicapped. He had grown up an athlete. His body always firm, strong, and hard. Now though that perfection suffered from the injuries of a solider. Still, he didn't let it daunt him. He fought against the handicap, strived to beat it, and accomplish what he needed.

"Hey!" He called out again, running with his defined limp. A small inconsistency. He was used to much worse, of weather and setting. He was used to the blood dripping from his hands of wounded brothers. Dead comrades. He was used to the pain of losing a half of his limb.

Oh yes…_much worse_.

"Stop! Stop now!" He screamed, ignoring the harshly falling rain. In hot pursuit. Needing to catch up with the fleeing woman.

She turned around, saw his shadowy form limping after her. The entire time she had been here, since she had come back to Salem, she hadn't viewed exactly what his injury meant. Now as she witnessed it, she stared in shock for a second. How many times had she watched him racing down the field of their football stadium? Laughing and running as he played ball with his then friend at Salem Place. Another tear fell down her face as he limped noticeably, but she pushed away her feelings and started to run again. Needing to escape.

"CHLOE!" He yelled out fiercely now, his voice battling the strong winds and pounding rain hitting his face. "Get back in the house!"

She reached the door, put her hand on the silver handle, fished for the keys from her purse, calling back quickly. "NO! _You_ go back inside!"

"We have to talk! Come on."

_"We talked enough."_ She whispered, finally getting the door open as a flash of lightning lit up the sky, a charge of thunder boomed around them. She gasped, even as exciting it all was. Started to slide her body into the car.

He reached it, reached her. Pulled her arm roughly. Pulled her outside, slammed the door shut. "Give me the keys."

Seeing him panting hard, maybe a little harder than she was because of the unfortunate injury, she shook her head fiercely. "No."

His jaw clenched hard, his eyes cold and forcing his desires. "_Give_ them to me Chloe. And stop this craziness. I'm not going to let you drive in a storm like this one. You're coming back inside with me."

She shook her head again, this time a little less confident though. He was a boy when he left. Still struggling to become a man, but not quite there. When they first started out, he excited her, thrilled her. All the weirdness and innocence she had then, feeling so protected by the gentleness of him. Along with it was an edge, but it was tempered by his boyish love for her. His need to have her with him almost every minute of the day. An obsession that smothered her. Still she craved it, desired it, wanting to be that important to another soul, loving being needed.

_"Now."_

But now, as he grasped her hand tightly, as his roughened voice commanded her, she shuddered just a touch. _Now_ he was a man, a commander. A soldier, who even though he often tried to hide it, still had that gentle heart. Only now it was more passionate.

_More…_

She pushed away, coming in contact with an object in her coat. She grasped it, pulling it outside of the pocket it lay in. Gasped as its thorned edges cut into her unprotected upper wrist. Looked down at the ice and fire. At the scarlet strain of blood touching her white skin. Looked up to him, seeing his eyes concerned on hers. Hearing his voice suddenly change. Gentle and boyish.

_"Chloe…"_

She dropped it, finally letting out her pain. Looked down at the car. Looked back to him, down to his imperfect leg. And ran away, in the other direction. Away from the house, straight to the…

He simply watched with a widened mouth, stark open blue eyes, before he started to chase again. Letting out a tired and angered sigh. "Damn Chloe! What are you doing?"

A flash of lightning struck a tree. It sent a branch crashing to the ground. Startling her. She fumbled, fell. Hitting the muddy ground, hard.

Seeing the lightning, seeing her falling, hearing the wet slap as she landed roughly, Philip stopped, gasping. "CHLOE! Oh man…oh man…"

At the last minute she managed to touch it all with her hands, gloved hands. Caught at it before any of the mud could touch her face. She got up to her knees now, noticing how it covered her clothes. But she didn't care. She had to…to…

She was getting up. Oh crap. Why was she doing this? Thank God she was okay, but what was she thinking? Why wouldn't she just stop? Listen?

He moved down to the ground, picked it up, what she dropped. The rain had already washed away any bits of mud. It was perfect. Its scarlet-porcelain petals not marred even from the bleeding it had caused her. He pushed it into his pants pocket and started the chase again.

She had never acted predictably. Never sensibly. She ran anytime she was hurt, pained, or scared. She rejected so much. As now she rejected him. Still…he wasn't at all ready to give up. It didn't matter what happened in the mansion, the reason she left its darkened interior. The ensuing argument, accusations...and threats. All that mattered now was her safety…and _just_ that. Any deep feeling had fled years ago. Now it was just about protection.

She ran still, confused and remembering. A night so many years ago. Where she ran from him too. A night of fire and rain. Ice and flames. Running with him to make love. Running away from him, claiming rape. Two emotions, one of beauty, one of utmost ugliness. He of course hadn't literally hurt her physically in any way. It was just when she saw his secret, his suddenly alive father, like a ghost, she had felt like she had been betrayed, her emotions…raped. And yet later, after the hospital visit to protect him, she returned with him to the place where they nearly made love. She surrendered to his arms as he held her.

_As…_

She pushed it away, the rush of feelings of the past. Forgot the fire and ice she left behind. Looked forward. Seeing it…

Off in the distance. Shortening now with her every step. Hearing the increasing thunder, seeing the flashes coming lower, cutting another tree branch, she ran to it.

Philip stopped now, letting out a hissing sound as another branch of tree snapped under the lightning's power. He looked away though as he noticed through the blinding rain where she was going. What she was doing.

She stopped at it, reached for the heavy wooden doors, tried to find one that was open. Finally searching out one on the side, small and mostly hidden. She slipped in. Panicked a bit at first, then found it, the light. She switched it on.

It wasn't hard at all to follow her. Even with the advantage she had of having two solid limbs. He too slipped inside the side door. Calling out. "Chloe…where are you?"

She pushed into an empty stall, propped up piles of hay to hide her location.

Philip had played hide and go seek plenty as a kid. It had aided him in war when he had to smell out the enemy. Easily now he stalked the different stalls. Well knowing of this stable. Totally aware of where there were horses and where there were not. "Chloe…this is ridiculous. Come out here. We have to go back to the house. Chloe come on…the storm is worsening. Just come out and let me see you."

Another scream of thunder. A shard of lightning hitting the wires above. The stable's light turned to blackness. She screamed. Philip sighed, but felt no fear. "It's okay…come out here."

She still resisted, knowing this was a silly child's game, but not ending it…not yet. She didn't want to see him. Didn't want to talk…

Didn't want…

He touched, felt his way. Felt the nearby shelves as a shard of lightning caused a tiny bit of light. He was used to fighting in darkness. Hiding in hidden corners. Used to only having his wits to survive situations that would terrify some enough to leave them pissing in their pants. He was used to it all. "Chloe…come on…"

She was shaking. In the darkness with him. Oddly terrified of the storm. Of the stable. Of…_him_.

The man he was now, so much more than what he was before. So fierce and…passionate.

He used the next moment of lightning. Calmly finding a flashlight. He lit it, watched it illuminate tiny bits of the darkness. "Chloe, don't make me search you out. Come here and stop being so ridiculous. You have to know…you can't hide from me. I know every inch of this stable. I _WILL_ find you."

A memory stirred in her mind. Him telling her…

_"You take everything as an attack…"_ She had then. Believed that everyone was out to get her. But now it was just one man.

Who she feared.

Who she desired.

Who made her ache.

Who made her run.

_"Philip…"_ She whispered shakily. Too quiet for anyone to hear.

Still, he turned from his direction. Scent…was a powerful ally. He had learned to use all of his senses well. Learned that when your eyesight was taken from you, your hearing disabled, your mouth closed, all you had was your nose. It made your nostrils as acute as a dog's. It taught you animal behavior and instinct. And her scent was one of the most powerful he had ever known. Intoxicating. He followed its aura now.

She started to hear him close-by. To _feel_ him. Her body trembled with want, fear…and indecision. She moved her hands over the hay, searching…finding. A blunt object. Carefully she lifted it into her hands. Started to get up from her kneeling position.

He stopped at one empty stall. Shined the flashlight over it. Nothing. But it was there…so strong now. That scent of sweet dry wine. Enflamed and chilled. _Her_ scent. He followed it, even in his temporary handicapped sight.

She moved up a bit more, lifted and…

He whipped around at the sound, the motion, ready for it.

She cried out in shock as she felt strong hands lock around her waist.

As he whispered dangerously into her ear,

_"Got you."_

_I am given this night, thrown on a soaked ground, and thrust into a pocket. Still, my petals barely are scraped. My scarlet porcelain still intact. I am…almost perfect. And not quite._

_Only those with emotions on either sides give me, receive me. Like these two._

_But the story can't completely start here. It has to go back. To when she first came…back. To those first days._

_Only then can the anger, the fear, the passion of this night be understood._

_Only then…_

_The story will continue in chapter one:_

_We Meet Again_

_Until then…_

_Fire and Ice_

Thank you for reading. If anything is unclear just let me know. Some things might be a little confusing now, but with each chapter more will be revealed. Please just be patient with me. I tend to not always write that fast, but I try to write as thoroughly as I can to give quality chapters.

Feedback is lovely and always appreciated.

_Mara_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Readers: **Thank you for the feedback! It means so much because I actually posted this in three places. One place got one very nice note of feedback, one got nothing, and here is where I know a few people are reading, lol. So thank you so much! I try not to base my writing too heavily on feedback and my motto is if at least one person is reading, then great. I'm thankful though for you taking the time to let me know you're reading and hopefully enjoying the story.

**About Brady: **It looks like at least one Brady fan is reading...great! I'm actually pleased to hear that because I like getting readers that enjoy all characters. Anyway, I just wanted to say, Brady may actually have a small part in the story. Now even though I was not a fan of the Brady Chloe storyline, I respect that there were people who enjoyed it and I respect the actors. Kyle is very talented! So I won't bring him in just to trash his charcter. If he comes into the story it will be to add to the plot. And I'll do my best to write him fairly and dynamically as I like to do with all or most of my characters.

**Story note:** Okay, after watching where the show is going with the Philip Chloe storyline, I realized I can't take my story in that exact same direction nor do I want to. At least not for now. So I'm going to backtrack here a bit. Chloe comes back to town, but this is a completely alternative storyline for it. Everything before her coming back has happened. Still, I'm starting this right after Shawn and Belle married. That's because I want to play with the weather also as you'll see in this chapter. That's the only way I can have the story lead to that storm that I had in the prequel. Now though, it's just days after Shawn and Belle got married. And this is where I break off from the show. Chloe and Philip's first meeting…everything…will be AU. If I coincide with the show's storyline, it'll mostly be coincidence.

Now, as I go back to right after Shawn and Belle got married, the Fire and Ice rose will still come in as a sort of narrator…giving you glimpses of that night in the near future that started in the prequel. When the story catches up to that night…you'll get a whole instant replay basically.

So just a reminder, same basic premise, but in my own AU way…

Everything of Philip and Chloe's relationship before she comes back, holds still intact. The only thing that might be slightly different concerning them is what happened when Philip was played by the other actor...I think his name was Kyle. I didn't watch the show then and so I never saw if Chloe and Philip had any interaction. It seems though if they did, it was minimal and not important. For that reason I am writing as if Philip and Chloe's last meaningful interaction was when he first left to be a Marine.

The man stepped out of the building and felt it right away. Even with the dampness in the air, the sporadic drops of moisture, _it_ was there. A warm stillness. The air lately had been uncharacteristically stagnant. Not even the fog brought the usual chill. Just a tiny touch of iciness fighting the underground flaming.

_Like fire and ice._

He gazed into a shop window, seeing a rose of battling reds and whites.

Blinked and it disappeared, formed into innocent mundane _pink_.

He frowned and turned away, making his way down crickety steps.

The man was wearing a well tailored suit, blue striped tie, dark gray shirt, muted simple colors that his dark golden hair accented nicely. Went with his piercing blue eyes. His tall lean muscular stature. His _oh so beautiful_ face.

He smirked slightly. Some had joked he came back with a _perfect_ face…a beautiful one, and an ugly icy demeanor. It had been slightly foreign to him at first, and yet not so different. Ever since high school graduation and leaving his hometown, he had gone through plenty of change. Plenty of loss.

A woman passed by him now. Attractive with blonde hair that framed her face. She smiled. He smirked with little joy, a slight limp marring his perfection. Watched as she seemed uncomfortable and then looked down. He laughed under his breath. _Ah_…the old forced deformity always called them off him. Years ago he had been a teenager who catered easily to all the attention. Now he was a man with a half alien face and half a leg that would no longer make touchdowns down a high school field. He was a man with ugly dreams of mine fields blowing up body parts of his friends, his comrades. Blowing his own. A man who loved and lost…too many times. A man with a daughter who one day no longer became his. A wife who ripped everything beautiful away. Who he fled from only to later return to…

_Hell._

Still, it was only days ago, before this recent mistake of a wedding, that he bedded her down. That she moaned out his name. That he proved she still had feelings for him that catapulted those she had for her husband. And yet now she was no longer as free as before. She made vows to a man he once called his best friend. Who he skateboarded the city streets with. Who he good-naturedly teased. Who he rivaled for her affections.

And yet…

_Now…_

He moved further over the heavily trodden wood of the dock. Finally feeling a bit of relief that came from the water. The coldness relaxing his too warmed senses. Since he had been a kid he'd always secretly enjoyed this place. The pier. The docks. It was far enough away from the house he grew up in, the austere mansion, and yet within easy walking distance. It was in the center of town. It was always easy to find a piece of it that no other human being at the present time inhabited. Always so simple to lose oneself in the dark murky water below. He started to do that now before a buzzing interrupted his momentary peace.

Grimacing, he reached a hand into his pocket. Took out the silver cell phone. Looked to the screen. Shaking his head at what it said. Clenching his jaw, he brought the phone to his ear and lips. "This better be good. I told you to only use this number in the case of an emergency."

The voice on the other end had a slightly refined accent, a deep woman's voice, almost sultry. Well at least to the men she had affairs with. He felt it was almost abrasive and whining at times. Forceful in a way that drilled guilt into you. Nothing sultry about that. Nothing so exotic when it came to the voice of your mother who mostly only called when she _needed_ something.

_"Well…isn't that such a lovely way to speak to your mother?"_

"Oh brother."

_"I have no time for this Philip."_

"Neither do I. There are files piled all over my desk that I need to attend to."

_"Please…I'm well aware you're not even at your office at the moment."_

"What…you sent spies after me?"

_"Philip! This is serious. It's about you know what. I need to know what you did with it."_

A memory swam through his mind of his mother handing him a gun in a restaurant, barely discreetly under the table. "I took care of it."

_"Philip-_

"Look…I got to go. We'll talk later."

_"We'll talk TONIGHT. Meet me at that place on Hanson Street."_

"Fine. Goodbye."

_"Philip-_

He cut the connection off, closing the phone with a slight smirk. It would only be more of her agitation. Nothing important. He slipped the phone back into his pocket, in darkness suddenly.

_Something covering his eyes._

Breathing behind him. Something…_someone_ sneaking up on him. How he had not known he had no idea. He'd been trained to smell out an intruder even with the loss of sight. Grabbing at one of the hands now, he felt its smoothness, drained any possible panic and smelled it…a scent he hadn't inhaled in years. But it couldn't be…_no_.

He hissed tightly, "Move your hands down before I break them. Whoever you are you should know better than to approach a trained Marine this way. Stupid really."

"_Easy Soldier._ I'm sure there are much better things you can do with these hands than harm a defenseless woman like me. I just couldn't resist considering the first time you and I were…_here_. Remember…how you snuck up on me?"

He clutched at her fingers, barely whispering in shock and surprise, _"Chloe?"_

She smiled at finally…the familiarity in his voice. Just a bit delighted she had been successful at catching him off guard. _"Bingo."_

Philip pulled at her hands, feeling them suddenly moving down. He turned around.

Chloe Lane Wesley Black smiled up at the face. It was what she had been told it would be. Different…and yet so much the _same_. Still ever so handsome. Those cerulean blue eyes completely intact. Those dimples still lining his cheeks as he actually smiled at her now. She smiled even more. Waiting.

His reaction was as spontaneous as it had been when it would creep up on him when they were teenagers. When his feelings would take over without his sharp mind allowing it. He moved forward and captured her into his arms. _"Chloe…"_

She heard him utter her name warmly now. She whispered against his cheek, _"Philip…"_

Without thinking, Philip embraced her, before pulling away and just holding at her arms. Taking in all she was now. Her hair was as it had been then, but now completely teased and curled. It framed the heavy makeup she seemed to cake her face in. Went with the seductive black dress and feathered thin coat. Beautiful and oddly overdone. A cry away from the girl who wore not an inch of face cover, who tightly pulled her hair back, who hid behind non prescription glasses. She was such a shadow then of what her true physical beauty was…and yet weirdly more real than she seemed now.

_Fire and ice._

It was odd how he imagined that flower earlier while walking down here. How instantly it was a reminder of her. How she was actually standing before him now. "What-what are you doing here? He asked the question with surprise he tried not to let too far out. She always seemed to have the upper hand before. Played with his emotions. And he let them be turmoiled into chaos. War had changed him though. Years had. He was a lot different than she might remember.

"This…of course?" Chloe answered with a questioning tone. He must have received one too. After all he was still living in Salem. The Philip she had gone out with would have been part of the planning. As popular and as much a sports hero he was when they attended high school together. Salem High.

Philip opened the embossed card, read carefully the words inside. Shook his head. So much had happened in the past months that he had probably received a card just like this…probably carelessly threw it out before he could even glance at what it said. That he cared little about now. Was mildly surprised it mattered to…her.

"Didn't you receive one too?" Chloe questioned.

Philip handed her back the card, answered quickly in a partial lie. "Uh…yeah. A while ago I guess it was. Threw it out. Didn't really plan on going." He turned away from her now, touched at the wooden railing and didn't speak another word. Reunions seemed so much in the past. _War_ reunions were never fun even when it meant meeting with his marine brothers. Of course it also meant lamenting so much loss. Coldly having thrown in your face those who had a tomb barring their return. _He didn't care to look back._ Not on that past or the one he experienced years before when he was a happy naïve kid who didn't even yet know what love was. When he followed a girl with an amazing voice onto this pier.

Chloe moved forward now, her voice shocked as she placed one of her hands over his that touched the railing. "What do you mean you weren't planning on going? It was high school, Philip. Don't you want to see all your old friends? Weren't you excited that I would be there?"

He smirked at the teasing flirtation that came with her words. Countered them though. "And uh…Brady is so looking forward to this reunion too? Going with you to relive your oh so happy high school days when half the school called you names like…" He stopped it there, not needing to go on. Realizing with a pinch of unhappiness that he had been one of the leaders back then. His hand clenched away from her touching one. Stupid memories of a past he didn't care to remember anymore. So long ago. What the heck was she doing here? It couldn't just be for a ridiculous reunion.

Chloe questioned mockingly. _"Names like Ghoul Girl?"_

Philip said nothing.

She sighed, knowing it would have to come out sooner or later. "Brady didn't come with me. He…has a lot of business to attend to at…well back in Vienna."

Philip cocked an eyebrow with disbelief. "_Business?_ I doubt that would keep Brady from coming back here to Salem with you." He moved forward, scrutinizing the woman standing before him closely, half smiling as he touched lightly at her cheek. "What's the truth Chloe?"

Chloe smiled back, but inwardly felt uncertain. She had been told along with his facial changes, there were inward ones. She wasn't sure how much that was true, but he did seem more cynical, maybe even a bit more shrewd.

It buzzed again. Philip looked to Chloe before taking the phone out. "Hello…"

Chloe watched closely. It was just the spur of the moment, but a tiny change came over his face.

Philip tightly kept his expression neutral, save for that one moment Chloe caught that he wasn't aware of, his voice reserved. "Yeah…okay. Sure. Sounds good. I'll see you in a bit."

He returned his phone to his pocket, smiled at Chloe before taking her hands in his. "I'm so sorry about this. I have to deal with some important Titan business."

Chloe smiled back. "I heard that you've taken over control of it, your father's company."

Philip nodded his head slowly. "Yes, well he's getting up there in age and it was always planned that I'd take over someday. So now that's what I'm doing. Hey, I really have to go, but uh…we can catch up later."

Chloe held onto his hand, looking up into his blue eyes. "I'd really like that. Especially since I plan to do all I can to _persuade_ you to go to this reunion."

Philip stared at her for a moment, before recalling his last phone call. He'd have to find out later why she was making a big deal of such a small thing. Why her husband, his nephew hadn't returned with her. _Oh yes_…he had a lot of questions, but for now…

"Think you'll be successful?"

"Of course."

Philip just laughed and pulled away entirely this time, heading up the steps.

Chloe watched him with a curious smile. Back in Salem barely a half hour and already meeting up with the one person she had wanted to see most. Not bad.

_Not bad at all._

"I'm sorry. I just had to see you."

Those words should make him deliriously happy. Would have hours ago, even minutes ago before he walked on that pier. But now…

"I'm not sure this is such a good idea Belle. You're married now, remember?"

Belle Black Brady, a thin petite woman with wavy blonde hair, wearing a simple patterned dress, nodded her head. He was right. This _wasn't_ the best idea. After all, she was now finally married to the man she had always wanted to be with. Her high school love. Her first real love. Her one true love. Philip Kiriakis was her ex husband though. He helped her raise Claire at first. He was passionate and…

So self assured. So confident. So in control. Sometimes she craved that so much. Needed it. Now especially after her father's untimely death. After everything her family had been through.

Sure, it was selfish and wrong, but…she couldn't help being lead to it. Couldn't help being lead to him. She moved up now, reached around his waist, brought her lips to his.

Feeling the beginning of her kiss, Philip continued it, holding at her cheek with a strong hand. It felt right and so wanted.

"Of course."

Philip pulled away suddenly. He caught the questioning in Belle's face. He muttered, "Did you know Chloe's in town?"

Shock came over Belle's face. "_Chloe_…Chloe's in Salem?"

Philip paced around the room of the apartment. It was just some room a bit outside of town that he managed to obtain with his name and finances. Just a temporary place to meet. Before it had felt like the perfect idea. Now he wasn't so sure. "Yep."

Belle moved forward, seeing that Philip was done with his pacing. "Is…uh is Brady with her?"

Philip slowly shook his head. "No. She said he had _'business'_.

Belle scrutinized him, seeing little answers in the face before her. Philip could be very tight lipped now. Careful even about his expressions. "You don't believe that?"

Philip cleverly ignored the question, filling in instead… "She's here because of the reunion. At least that's what she told me so far. I think I'll get together with her later. Go somewhere quiet so we can…_talk_." He watched Belle carefully, measuring her reaction.

Belle swallowed. "Oh…well I'd like to see her too. It's been a while. I want to see how Vienna's been, how happy she and Brady are."

Philip smirked. "Who says they are happy?" Seeing her frown, he laughed. "Ah…of course you _WANT_ them to be happy."

Belle answered defensively. "Of course I do, Philip! Brady is my brother and he and Chloe went through a lot to be together…to get married."

"Right…like you and Shawn. _Happily…ever…after_." Philip spread out each word, touching at Belle's cheek. And then latching a hand around her waist. Pressing his lips against hers. Satisfiedly making his sarcastic point.

Belle shivered. Philip Kiriakis had always been charming, making girls swoon in high school. But now there was more edge to it. _To him._ A certain danger. That she wished with all her heart she would avoid. Could. Since her heart truly belonged to only one man. It had to. If it didn't…

She whispered breathily now… _"I thought you said this was a bad idea."_

He whispered back, _"You're the one who's married now. You tell me."_

"Philip-

He pulled back without warning, letting her go, remembering standing on the pier. _Fire and ice_ again. So what the heck was this?

Only temporary?

Relief from the storm?

"I was so sure of what I wanted. Of us meeting here. I thought it would be so easy to get you away from him. And actually it was. But Belle…I don't know…something's not right."

Belle couldn't keep the edge out of her voice. She sounded like a jealous silly teenager. "_Chloe Lane_?"

Philip corrected her quickly. "Chloe _BLACK_…and no…it's not that. You're _MARRIED_, Belle. You married Shawn. And yeah he's been really stupid lately, but someone's going to end up hurt. I don't want that to be you."

It was happening again. That unsure feeling. It always came when he started pulling back. It always made her panic. She loved Shawn so much, but Philip and her were married too, before. He always protected her. He was strong and…

Could she stand losing that?

"Philip…" Belle barely took the time to think. She reached up around his suit jacket, brought her lips to his neck. Watched as he closed his eyes. Heard him groan. He didn't want to back away from this entirely either. Even though he was right. Someone _was_ going to get hurt. This couldn't continue. She started to pull away.

Philip grabbed her more tightly. "_Don't_…don't make me feel like this and then think you can end it that fast. Damn it Belle…you can't have it both ways."

"But I love you both."

Philip grimaced.

Belle went on. "I do. It's not the same, but…I don't want you out of my life, Philip. I need you in my life…just like I need Shawn also."

Philip laughed dryly. Desiring something different than what was in this room. Sickening of the game and yet always coming back to it…_to her_. "I already told you I loved you…before Belle. I said I'd give you and Claire anything. Be there for you always. But just a couple of days ago you married another man. It _changes_ things."

Belle started to leave.

Philip watched…ached.

And as her hand touched the doorknob he made his move. Grabbing at her waist. Rapidly backing up with her to the room at the rear. Feeling as the back of her knees hit the bed's edge. As she lay down underneath him…

Chloe sat on the corner edge of her hotel room's bed. Fiddling with a band of gold. It had adorned her finger for years. Sometimes stifled it. More so recently. Until she pushed it off. She let the ring fall to the small dresser. Moved around the room.

Smiled a bit. Even with his so-called _new_ face, she didn't see him as all that different. He still was so handsome, alluring…charming. His touch was still warm. His eyes were still so illuminatingly blue. He wasn't all that different on the outside.

But on the inside? He did seem more serious. More…

She startled as her cell phone chimed. She picked it up. "Hello…"

_"Hey…I have some business ahead. I have to take care of it, but um…how about we meet for a drink later tonight? Catch up…how does that sound?"_

"That sounds great."

_"Good…I'll call you later. I'm really glad you're back in town for a few days at least, Chloe."_

"Thanks…so am I."

She smiled as she ended the conversation. Something very…_very_…nice to look forward to.

Philip sat down on the made bed. _Perfectly made._ Not a sheet messed up anywhere. He sat there now…alone. It had felt so perfect…and maybe so wrong. Whatever…it hadn't happened. They were kissing heatedly, moving hands to clothes and then sort of just stopped…stared at each other. Backed away from it all.

And now he had just called Chloe. Set it up for them to meet. _Chloe…_

He groaned as once again his cell phone buzzed. Looked down at the number.

"Great…"

Philip muttered, pulling on his coat. Time to meet with _Mother_. Might as well get it over with. Let the bad happen before the…

Good.

_Deliciously good._

_It was back before I was even physically there. Before I came into the equation. Fire and Ice feelings, wantings._

_It all led to this night…of the storm. Of my thorns making them bleed again. _

_Pain…yes. But also passion…_

_And truth._

_"Got you."_

He whispered dangerously, reaching for the object in her hands and easily pulling it downward, locking his hands around her waist. Still, he felt her managing to turn around. Allowed her to face him now. Their eyes locked in a timeless stare.

Oceanic blue touching sky blue. Teasing.

She stopped struggling, actually smiled. It made Philip stare at her questioningly. _What was she up to?_ This was why things had gone so far as for her to run out of the house. Why he hadn't been prepared for that wild action from her. And yet he should have been for he knew more than what the surfaced revealed.

It could be determined she had changed, that she wasn't the same Chloe she was back in their teen days. _It could_…by someone who never knew her really down to her inner core. Who didn't look past the obvious. He had though. Even with what everyone thought of him back then, how they perceived he didn't pull away layers to look beyond.

He had…and as much as this was surprising. Annoying. Exciting. It was also in an odd way…_predicted_.

She placed her gloved hand on his shoulder, licked at her lips. Saw he licked at his own. _Ahhhh…_

He steeled himself as he felt her mouth coming closer to his ear. Felt her mimicking his serious actions, words.

"_No Soldier_…I think it's me who's got _you_."

_Feel it? The ice? The fire?_

_There's more to come, but first what happened before. First they get together and…_

_Talk._

_And so until then…_

_Fire and Ice_

Thank you for reading. Feedback is always adored! Any questions, please just ask. Things will get clearer though if they feel a bit murky.

One thing, I can't remember for sure if the EJ shooting happened before of after Shawn and Belle married…for story purposes…they did already marry in this fic with the same consequences.

I might touch upon some of that storyline too since it affects people related to Philip.

_Mara_


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